Knockdown slate-ruling apparatus



(No Model.)

E. s. (moss. KNOGKD'OWN SLATE TRULING APPARATUS. No. 471,957. Patented Marp29. 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Genres.

EDWARD S. CROSS, OF ELYRIA, OHIO.

KNOCKDOWN SLATE-RULING APPARATUS.

SBEGIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,957, dated March 2 9, 1892. Application filed December 11, 1890. Serial No. 874,278. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. (Ross, of Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Slate-Ruling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in knockdown slate-ruling apparatus; and it consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a plan showing the members assembled in Working position. Fig. 2 is a plan showing a box in which the device in its knocked-down condition is packed ready for shipment. Figs. 3 andet are respectively side elevation and longitudinal section of the scoring device. Figs. 5 and G are respectively top and bottom plan of the scoring device, a portion of the cover being broken away in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a cross-section on line 00 at, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan in detail showing a modification in the spring.

VA represents a plate (shown in Fig. 1) partly ruled. The ruling should be accurate, otherwise it would mislead rather than guide a child in correctly forming letters, characters, 850.; but the sides of a slate-frame are not likely to be straight enough to serve as guides in accurate ruling.

Heretofore rigid frames of various kinds have been provided for ruling slates; but from the fact that such a frame must be, large enough to receive the largest-sized slates in use such frames are necessarily heavy and cumbersome for shipping and handling. My apparatus contemplates a knockdown-frame, so that the parts may be packed in small compass for shipment or handling, and so that they can even be carried in the pocket. My improved apparatus is provided with two straight bars B B, usually of wood, and these are pierced laterally for receiving with a comparatively easy fit the cross-rods O Cthat is to say, the rods should fit as snugly as will admit of readily adjusting bars B Bendwise of the slate-frame.

the rods-so that when the parts are assembled and in position they will constitute a frame-work sufficiently rigid for the purpose. Bars B B are connected at the extremes thereof, by, for instance, rubber bands in dotted lines, Fig. 1,) to accommodate these rods at different distances apart. If the ruling islto be done on a table, the distance apart of rods 0 O is not material, as the slate and frame-work of the apparatus can all rest on the table; but if the ruling is to be done where there is no table at handforin stance, in the lapin such case rods 0 0 should rest on top of the slateframe. In such cases in placing the device on the slateframe one of the rods 0 should be directly above one of the end piecesof the slate-frame and theruling should be commenced at this end, and if before the ruling is completed the other rod 0 is in the way the slate can be slid endwise until this second rod 0 is over the other end of the slate-frame, thus exposing the balance of the slate for ruling purposes. The frame-work, consisting of bars B B and rods O 0, having been assembled with the springs or rubber bands on the ends, as already mentioned, bars B B are drawn apart, so as to embrace the sides of the slate-frame, and the tension of bands D D, or Whatever may take the place of these bands, will hold bars B B in place, bearing against the edges I will here call attention to Fig. 8, in which a metal spring 01 takes the place of a rubber band D, the extremes of the Wire of which the spring is composed having hooked or bent ends for attaching to the reduced end sections of bars B B, and removable pins b b are shown for holding the springs from slipping off the'bars.

A T-square F is employed for guiding the scoring-tool, this T-square being of ordinary construction, except for knockdownpurposes. The tongue thereof is secured in the gain of the head by wood-screws f f, so that Bars B B are supby removing these screws the tongue and head may be readily separated for packing. Bars B 3 are provided with scales B for convenience in ruling, and a ruling or scoring device is provided the construction of which may be as follows, as shown in Figs. 3, l, 5, G, and 7:

The handle E, the bottom E, the slotted end piece E and the side pieces are constructed preferably of a single piece of thin sheet metal struck up into the desired form approximately, as shown, and a cover E is provided the edges of which are flanged downward to fit between members E, the

cover being secu red byasingle pin E, extend ing through the flanges of the cover and through side pieces E, near the top edge of the latter.

6 e are the scoring-tools, constructed usually of spring-wire, each tool being soldered or otherwise secured to a block 6, the diiferent blocks being secured to the bottom member E by means of screws 6 the shanks of these screws extending through slots 8 in member E. (See Figs. 4- and 6.) By loosening these screws the different blocks c may be adjusted endwise the device, as required, to advance or retire the different tools e, for instance, in evening the scoring ends thereof and to cause the scoring-tools to protrude thenecessary dis tance beyond the casing, the. The parts having been assembled, as shown more clearlyin Fig. l, the T-square is moved along bar B, as required, to serve as a guide for the scoring device. scoring-tools may be removed, so as to leave broader spaces between the scored lines, and this can readilybe doneby removing the screw; or, better still, by loosening the necessary screws anyone of the tools e maybe moved back into the head so far as not to engage the slate.

The device in its knocked-down condition can be done up in a small package, which renders it convenient for shipment or for carry- If it is so desired, one or more of the in g about from place to place by the operator. In Fig. 2 the device is shown packed in a small paper box.

What I claim is- 1. In a slate-rulin g apparatus, the combination, with a pair of bars and cross-rods pass ing through these bars, of distensible and collapsible devices extending from one bar to the other, and a T-square adapted to operate on this frame, substantially as set forth.

2. A knockdown slate-ruling apparatus substantially as shown and comprising a distensible and collapsible frame and springs, a T- square having a removable tongue, and a scoring device, substantially as shown, the parts being separable and adapted to be folded or packed in a bundle or box of small compass, substantially as set forth.

In slate-rulin g apparatus, in combination, expansible and collapsible frame and springs, the one member of such frame havin ga scale marked thereon, a T-sq uareadapted to operate on this frame, such T-square having a removable tongue, and a suitable scoring-tool, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In slate-ruling apparatus, a scoring device comprising a head and aseries of elastic scoring-tools adjustably secured to such head, and slots in the head for receiving the securing screws of the respective scoring-tools, substantially as indicated, whereby the different scoring-tools may be adjusted endwise to render them operative or inoperative, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, this 1st day of November, 1890.

EDWARD S. CROSS.

Witnesses:

C. H. Donna, XVARD IIoovER. 

